Rory stood there in shook. She was unable to form any words.
"So, how's it going?" Jess asked, as if they had seen each other just yesterday.
Rory just stared at him as she dropped her bags by her side. She was unable to grasp the reality of him being here, in her dorm room and standing their like nothing had changed.
He was wearing his favourite jacket and jeans, his hair was a little longer then the last time she had seen him and he had a duffel bag at his feet.
"Why are you…" Rory began trying to form a coherent sentence, before cutting herself off, "How did you get in here?"
"Some girl let me in, told me that you'd be back in a few hours so I thought I'd just set up camp here and wait" Jess stated matter of factly.
"She left to go running a few minutes ago" he continued.
Rory just nodded in reply. She was unable to summon enough energy to say or do anything, this whole weekend felt like some kind of bizarre nightmare.
At that moment Paris ran into the room;
"I was waiting for you out the front but you must have come around the back, I ran into Janet in the hallway and she said that "he" was here and she had let him in, I hate her, how could she do that to you I mean…" Paris informed Rory hurriedly before being cut off my Jess.
"Hello, to you too" he smirked, turning his attention to Paris.
"You don't deserve a hello, you…you scumbag" Paris shot back.
Jess mealy smiled and replied "Kapow, that was a good one Paris, really cut to the bone, what are you going to call me next a…" before being cut off by Rory.
"Shut up, just both of you shut up, I can't handle this right now, ok" she yelled finding her voice.
Paris and Jess both turned silent and they all stood there looking at each other.
"He's not staying here" Paris piped up. "And it's not just me, Tanna freaked out last time, she wouldn't sit on the couch for a week" she continued.
"Well, I guess I could sleep in my car, but the heat's not working so I might…" Jess began.
"You be quiet" Rory interrupted, "I need to think" she added putting her hands up to her head.
"You know the guys upstairs have a free bed?" Paris supplied.
"No" Rory shot back quickly.
"Why not, I thought you and Tristan were friends now" Paris ventured.
"Tristan?" Jess asked surprised, "that guy who used to go to Chilton"
Rory and Paris ignored him.
"Did something happen this weekend with you two" Paris asked.
Rory remained silent, trying to come up with an answer.
"Because that might be our only option, no matter how much of a jerk he is we can't let him freeze to death, I happen to know for a fact that Yale looks down on manslaughter" Paris continued intensely.
"There's no way I'm putting those two in a room together" Rory stated.
"Why not maybe they'd kill each other and solve all of your problems, or at least verbally destroy each other with sarcasm" Paris ventured thoughtfully.
***
Ten minutes later, the threesome made their way up to suite 207. Paris in the lead, dragging Jess behind her, Rory bringing up the rear, too tired to put up a fight.
Paris knocked on the door, and Jake answered.
'Hey Paris, Rory and some guy I don't know" he stated cheerfully.
"Hi' Paris replied back attempting a smile, "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could Rory's um…friend…Jess stay here just for the night"
"Sure, I guess" he replied, "Tristan's just left for a minute but I'm sure he wouldn't mind someone taking the spare bed"
'Thanks, so um we'll pick him up in the morning" Paris answered, pushing a subdued Jess into the room.
Jake nodded in reply and waved a goodbye closing the door behind him.
Rory quickly began heading down the hall, but Paris caught up with her.
"Ok, you're not getting away that easily, I got rid of him, now I want details what is going on between you and Tristan?. And why do you look like someone ran over your cat" Paris questioned her as they headed down the stairs.
"Paris I just, Tristan's not who I thought he was" Rory began as they entered their dorm. Rory turned on the lights and turned off the stereo which was still playing the CD Jess had put on.
"He still likes you doesn't he, I was right" Paris informed her triumphantly as she sat down.
"No, well I don't know, it wasn't that. We were getting on great this weekend and it really seemed like he was different and then…" Rory started, sitting down on the couch, before going on to recount the events of the previous night.
Paris sat there silently before interrupting her;
"Hang on, you kissed him? When did this happen?"
"At Madeline's party, sophomore year" Rory replied somewhat sheepishly, forgetting the fact that she had never told Paris about it.
"Right before you set me up with him" Paris replied back softly.
"I know, I'm sorry…" Rory stated back before Paris cut in.
"Its ok, that was a long time ago, I 'm just surprised that you did that"
"I didn't mean to, it just happened I was upset over Dean and…" Rory trailed off.
"Even so, I know you, you wouldn't kiss someone, even unintentionally unless…" Paris started thoughtfully before Rory interrupted.
"What so now you're on his side, it's all my fault" Rory shot back raising her voice.
"That's not what I meant, it just changes things, I totally agree that he has no right to blame the downward spiral he entered into on you" Paris replied quickly, calming Rory down.
"Tristan, isn't used to not getting what he wants, he's also not used to taking responsibility for things, its not his fault, its how he was raised" Paris began softly, "At heart he's a nice person it's just that he has trouble expressing himself, and admitting when he's made a mistake"
"Do you really truly believe that he really blames you I mean, words aren't everything, Yes he shouldn't have said it, but you should judge people on what they do, not what they say" Paris continued.
Rory sat there in contemplation.
"Wow, those therapy sessions are really paying off" Rory replied, smiling slightly.
"What can I say, just because I'm messed up, doesn't mean I'm not perceptive" Paris replied smiling in return.
"So any advice on Jess" Rory asked slyly.
"Hey that guy, might be even more messed up then Tristan and I combined, beside I can only summon one physco-analysis a night" Paris replied.
Rory nodded thoughtfully.
"I guess I'll just have to deal with that in the morning, or I could just drop out of college and change my name to Wendy" Rory retorted yawning.
"Or you could go get yourself a nice normal boyfriend, one free of deep seeded emotional issues" Paris ventured.
"Hey I tried that, that didn't work out either" Rory shot back glibly.
"How is Dean?" Paris asked.
"On his honeymoon" Rory replied.
"Oh"
"You know if I'd known the whole story I probably wouldn't have insisted that those two stay together" Paris continued regretfully.
"I don't want to even think about it" Rory replied getting up to go to bed.
"What's the worst that could happen?" Paris theorised as she followed Rory into the room.
Rory just stared at her, "I though we covered that before".
"They're not really going to hurt each other?" Paris replied tentatively, "Are they".
"No, at least I don't think so" Rory replied.
"How much does Tristan know about Jess, anyway?" Paris asked
"Not much, but then he didn't know much about Dean, yet every time they saw each other it was practically guns at dawn" Rory replied worriedly.
"Jake and Phil are there" Paris reminded her, "Besides that was when Tristan liked you, and he doesn't anymore, right" she added slyly.
Rory just glared at her.
"Maybe they'll become the best of friends" Paris ventured dramatically.
To be continued…